The Adventure's Not Over
by lakota12
Summary: Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase were living their life peacefully until one day everything turned upside down. Along with Blackjack and his girlfriend, Jewel, they have to find their way home from the chaotic world they find themselves in. Set after The Blood of Olympus.
1. Chapter 1

Blood and carnage. As a demigod you grow used to that kind of life style. Being a part of two major wars means todays demigods have seen the grey area of life. Most continued on as they always have while others seemed almost stuck. The seven of the prophecy tried to regain a normal life but they had seen too much. They all suffered PTSD but took refuge in each other. Jason, being retired at age of seventeen, worked on bettering temples and cabins between camps to give him purpose. Piper reminded her cabin what true beauty really is. Finding the best in a person and being kind, not the first to break someone's heart. Frank took his position very seriously and excelled. Praetor suited the stiff boy. Hazel took to strengthening both camps protections with her magic and mist manipulation. It took a lot of her time and strength but to her, and everyone else, the camp safety was worth it. Leo worked to better his cabin's luck. He reminded them that they used to build because they enjoyed it, not for war. He and Calypso were always seen smiling as they ran their mechanic and flower shop. They were working on enjoying their life together to the fullest.

Annabeth and Percy took life into their own hands for the first time. They finished high school and even started their college education. Annabeth began her official study in Architecture. It was difficult to go to regular school but as a daughter of Athena she made sure to excel. She and Percy rented an apartment together where they could commute to school. They protected each other from the dimwitted monster. Many monsters feared the formidable pair of hero's. Percy studied Marine Biology to the surprise of no one. Cleaning up the oceans, rivers, and lakes was his prime focus. This gained him favor with his step family and lesser water gods. Now, his father's wife and heir did not like Percy but they did not outwardly hate him anymore. Annabeth and Percy spent quite a bit of time at both camps. Training the demigods to adulthood was their goal. They taught not only how to fight but also how to live outside of the camps if they chose not to go live out the rest of their lives at Camp Jupiter or Camp Half-Blood when construction was finished. Demigods with stronger scents still tended to choose camp life but many others chose to go to high school and even middle school if they were strong enough.

Today Percy and Annabeth were meeting with Blackjack's new girlfriend. Blackjack met an appaloosa Pegasus, Jewel, a year after the Second Giant War. Now, two years after the war, they were finally meeting the lovely Jewel. The Pegasus claimed it was to make sure the lady Pegasus was not using him for his 'connections' with Percy. Annabeth and Percy waited patiently on the roof of their apartment building. They bought a basket of apples and a box of dough nuts respectively. Annabeth was insistent that two pegasi couldn't possibly eat twelve dough nuts but Percy just commented that she's never seen Blackjack scarf down the pastry before.

"Percy, I see them." Annabeth pointed in the direction of camp where two shapes could be seen flying towards them. Her long blonde princess curls were swaying in the slight breeze.

Percy's face broke into a grin as he and his girlfriend watched his long-time friend get closer. The two winged horses landed gracefully as was their nature. Jewel's white and grey spots were a stunning contrast to Blackjack's midnight coat.

"Hey Blackjack." Percy greeted as he walked up to the Pegasus couple.

'Yo Boss. I want you to meet Jewel, the most beautiful Pegasus on the winds.' Blackjack introduced. Percy could hear his voice in his head.

'Hello Lord Percy.' She greeted.

"Just Percy please." Percy sighed, every equine was the same. "Jewel, this is Annabeth."

'Hey scary girl.' Blackjack snorted then pushed his nose into her hand.

'Hello Annabeth' Jewel shook her mane.

"They both say hello." Percy translated 'horse' for his girlfriend.

After that they all settled down for snacks and just catching up. Both demigods had been busy with school and their jobs at camp therefore had little time to visit with the enthusiastic Pegasus. Once all doughnuts were eaten and most apples as well the equine couple prepared to leave. Then something unusual even to demigod standards happened, a portal opened up in the sky above the building. The pegasi looked ready to bolt to the skies but Annabeth stopped them.

"No, don't fly! The winds are pulled towards the vortex." Annabeth warned. Blackjack planted his hooves immediately and after a moment Jewel followed his example.

"Annabeth, any idea what that is?" Percy asked with Riptide already in sword form. His eyes were darting everywhere, scanning for a threat besides the swirling wind. His eyes landed on their emergency backpack they always had on them.

"No, I've never even heard of anything like this in the sky. Sea sure, sky not so much." She said as she raced against the wind to reach the backpack. Inside was her magic sheath for her drakon bone sword. She eventually did get a replacement knife but it was painful to remember the one she lost. Swords in hand the demigods went back to back in front of the two pegasi, whose wings were pinned firmly to their sides to prevent them from being injured in these winds.

"I swear I didn't do anything to Zeus recently." Percy yelled over the now blistering wind. Annabeth couldn't see much through her flying hair and even if she could the winds were strong enough for the need to squint against them. "Boreas and I are cool the last I checked."

"This is different. Don't you feel it? It feels like magic. Remember what Hazel said about Hecate's presence? You can physically feel that she's different from the other gods because of the magic."

"Hecate is behind this?" Percy questioned.

"I doubt it. She is still lying low from the Titan War." That was the last thing she said before the wind grew again and picked her up.

"Annabeth!" Percy screamed as he lounged for her only to be swept up as well.

The pegasi were not far behind. Even free falling they kept their wings pinned until they thought they could gain control without breaking them. As they all entered the vortex their world went black.


	2. Teirm's Full of Strangers

Eragon and Brom just entered the city of Teirm. Saphira waited for them outside of the city. Of course she was worried for her rider but she had smelt something new and she intended on finding out what it was. It reminded her of the silly steed her rider was choosing to ride right now but a little different. It wasn't quite the scared-four-legs. She stuck low to the ground while she flew until she was far enough from the city to fly higher. The scent was constantly moving. Flitting about through the sky. The she-dragon was slightly offended that someone other than herself was roaming the skies. What she did not know was how fast her prey was in the sky. Pegasus can reach speeds in the air that are only rivaled by Arion, who can run on water he is so fast. Frustrated and tired Saphira gave up for the night and flew back to the hill she had claimed as her hiding spot.

Eragon and Brom were currently getting the address of Brom's old friend, Joed. 'Next to Angela the Herbalist.' A man in a bar told them. After thanking the man the two went off to find their friend. Eragon was in awe that such a place like Teirm existed. It was not as ready to fight off strangers as the last town was but the common man still carried a sword around. Brom explained to him that they used to get a lot of trouble from pirates and old fears die harder than habits. They found Angela's shop but there were houses on either side of her shop so they went up to ask the strange woman sitting on the porch with a toad in hand. Halfway through their confusing conversation about frog's vs toads a woman exited the shop.

"Angela, where can Percy find new bedding for Felyx?" She asked. She had golden hair that hung down her back in ringlets. Her eyes were iron grey and as sharp as a sword. She stood with more confidence than any woman Eragon had ever seen.

"Ah in the back. How is Percy doing?" Angela asked with a smirk.

"I still have all my finger no thanks to that bird of yours." A man appeared behind the girl. He was taller than Brom or I and had muscle everywhere, but not like a blacksmith, more like a swordsman. He had black hair the most unusual green eyes Eragon had ever seen. His face was all rigid lines and free of facial hair.

"Now now, Felyx was only playing." Angela said. "Now get back to it before he gets even more playful.

"Yeah yeah." Percy just waved his hand before going back into the shop without sparing us a glance. The girl on the other hand starred at them in a way that felt like she was staring into their souls.

"Didn't you have someone to see?" She asked.

"Of course. Thank you ladies." Brom said before dragging Eragon off.

Annabeth knew there was something off about the strangers but now knew better than to ask Angela a direct question. She decided to follow them. With that in mind she went back to help Percy navigate the more dangerous toys that Angela kept.

" **Here, give your man my ring. And tell him that if he loses it, I'll personally tear his liver out. It was given to me by the queen."**

 **"** **Aren't you cheery," commented Joed. (p.187)**

"Do you know who your neighbor is housing?" Brom asked.

"I don't. She mentioned something around lunch time. Apparently they were robbed on the road and are working for her in exchange for a night there. Angela likes to talk." Joed shrugged.

"I see. They were wearing common clothes but they were obviously nobles. That or soldiers. They were too refined looking." Brom mused.

"I suppose. I don't question Angela very often. She's a strange one." Joed agreed.

 **"** **We'd better go out and join Eragon." (p.187)**


	3. Making Contact

They woke slowly to the deafening wind. Annabeth noticed first that they were free falling towards a fast approaching ground. She yelled at the rest and they woke as well. Blackjack and Jewel snapped their wings to a proper position for flight. Blackjack, used to flying into battle, dove for Annabeth. Once she was securely on his back he raced downward to the clearly panicking Percy. The sky was is not a safe place for the son of Poseidon. Jewel flew swiftly to her boyfriend's side, frazzled. Percy grabbed Annabeth's outreached hand and maneuvered himself behind her awkwardly because of her backpack. Once he was once again on the back of his trusty Pegasus he was able to calm his panic. A look around at the ground told him his panic was not in vein. There were no major buildings as far as they could see, and at their altitude that was pretty far. There were mountains bigger than the Appalachians as well as a desert as dry as the Sahara between them and those mountains. They were currently flying down towards a smaller mountain range.

'Hey Boss, should we land?' Blackjack whinnied nervously.

"Yes. I just need to get out of the sky for a little bit." Percy responded. Normally he found flying with Blackjack was exciting, after that fall he just wanted to have his feet planted firmly on the ground.

"Percy, I don't think we are anywhere near home. This place feels strange." Annabeth said as she clung to the Pegasus' mane.

"I agree. It feels… cleaner somehow. The air is lighter." He responded as he gripped her waste a little tighter.

"The magic that did this is everywhere. I can feel it on my skin." Annabeth shivered.

Just like Annabeth the others could feel it as well. There was so much magic in the air that it felt like spiders crawling on their skin. It was almost buzzing it was so thick. To the demigods it felt like camps barrier when they walked through it. You could feel the very pulse of magic here.

Their flight down was calm but quick. The Pegasus' said their wings were quite sore from being battered by the winds once they were unconscious. They landed near what Annabeth guessed was a port town. There were plenty of hills and trees to hide behind as they thought out their next move. While the Pegasus' rested Percy and Annabeth to inventory of what they had. A few apples, two swords, a knife, and their emergency supplies. In their emergency supplies was ambrosia and nectar for emergencies, a sweatshirt, fire starters, a few drachma's, a water bottle, and granola bars.

"We should find somewhere we can contact camp. Is there a river nearby?" Annabeth asked.

After concentrating for a moment Percy confirmed that yes there was a river just to their south west if he had to guess. The water here felt untamed, like there was no river god to govern it. He didn't know if that was good or bad for them as he had the unfortunate habit of angering gods. He didn't even want to think on the possibility of being outside of the gods help. Every time that happens he gets the schist beaten out of him.

They told the Pegasus' they would be back before the sun set with news and started the walk. Despite the circumstance they enjoyed the walk. They were on guard but it was a welcome change to the hustle and bustle of life. Plus the land around them was beautiful. Just past the dirt road they found the river and quickly created a rainbow with a spray of water. A drachma later and they were listening to Iris's long distance call speech. They both shared a worried look but threw in another.

"Show me Chiron, Camp Half-Blood." Annabeth said clearly. Slowly the image began to show a static screen of their mentor. He looked worried as he paced in the archery range.

"Chiron, its Annabeth and Percy." They heard a voice out of view say. His head snapped up.

"Annabeth, Percy, where are you two? We heard of an anomaly above your building and haven't been able to find you." He asked sternly, worry clear in his voice.

"Long story short, a magic wind vortex opened up and sucked Annabeth, Blackjack, Jane, and me in. We woke up in an unfamiliar place that apparently calls for a long distance Iris message." Percy explained quickly, noticing the fragile link they had with the call.

"This is not good. I talked to the gods and Zeus is not happy. Someone other than the wind gods messed with his wind. He of course blamed you, Percy, but the others managed to convince him you are afraid enough of his lightning not to." He said with a smirk.

"How long have we been gone, Chiron?" Annabeth asked with caution in her voice, like she was expecting something terrible.

"Three days." He said severely.

"Three days! My mom is gonna kill me." Percy's eyes looked ready to bug out of his head.

"Yes and we couldn't find any trace of you two. You are beyond the realm of the gods, both Greek and Roman. I expect your trip back will not be an easy one." He said and the message went out for a moment before focusing again.

"We'll contact you when we can, Chiron." Annabeth said before swiping a hand through the message.

"What's our first move, Wise Girl?" Percy said as he grabbed her hand.

She took a steadying breath before answering with a steely reserve.

"We find out where we are. Then we can find who sent us here and why. We can worry about getting them to send us back after that." She said, squeezing his hand. He nodded then started walking back the way they came from. Annabeth froze for a moment and Percy followed suit.

There was someone talking nearby, on the road they assumed. They were also riding horses if Percy heard correctly. The horses were rather tired and complained about their sore hooves. The two demigods froze and listened. They were still hidden in the trees by the road. The people were apparently looking for work in a place called Teirm as sailors. Annabeth risked a look as they passed and noticed their clothing looked like something out of medieval times. This new information trouble the two. Not only were they a long distance from home but it seemed they were along time away as well. Something big was happening here but they didn't know what.

"Okay, now we really need to find out who brought us here." Annabeth stressed.

"I agree. I say we go to this 'tearme' place and find out. Plus I'm hungry." Percy responded

"Teirm. Yeah, let's go tell the pegasi." Annabeth smiled at her boyfriend.

"They aren't going to like this." He said as they started walking back. "Pegasi are free spirits and they are going to have to stick with us on the ground for a while."

"I'm sure they want to get home just as badly as we do."

Percy was right, the pegasi weren't happy but they accepted that they had a better chance of getting home by sticking together. They pinned their wings to their sides and allowed the demigods to ride them. They were hoping the mist still had some effect on mortals and hid their wings from most people's view. Blackjack's wings blended perfectly with his coat while Jewel's were a little bit more noticeable as she was grey and white with white wings. They walked the road in the direction the sailors. It was strange for Percy to be riding Blackjack while on the ground. The equine was not nearly as graceful on the ground as he was in the air. The four of them were tense when the large wall came into their sights. The city had a large gate with guards permitting people in or turning them away.

"We need a better plan." Annabeth said as she asked Jewel to walk back into the cover of the trees.

"What do you propose, oh great battle plan master." Percy snarked, Annabeth just rolled her eyes at him.

"I should go in and find us clothes to blend in. Our bright colored clothes don't really fit in here. I've got my Yankee's cap." She said, waiting for Percy to object.

"I don't like it, but I don't have a better idea on not getting turned away at the door." Percy frowned. He didn't like the idea of the two of them being separated. Annabeth slid off of Jewel and walked over to the boys. She placed a hand on Percy's knee.

"I'll be fine. I'll just snag some clothes then come back." She turned to walk away before pausing and grabbing something out of the backpack. She threw it at Percy. He caught the granola bar and stared at her in confusion.

"You get cranky when you're hungry." She smirked before putting the cap on her head and turning invisible. Percy barked out a laugh at her attempt to ease his nerves.

Percy spent the time she was gone to help the pegasi to straighten a few feathers that were jumbled in their fall. Once there were no more wonky feathers Percy proceded to pace and run his hand through his inky black hair. Now, his hair was normally windswept looking but with his nervousness he made it even worse.

'Don't worry boss. Annabeth is smart, she'll be back soon. Hopefully with more doughnuts.' Blackjack tried to comfort his friend.

'Yes, she seemed quite capable.' Jewel added.

"I know. We just haven't spent much time away from each other since the war. Besides school and work we are always together." Percy stopped his pacing and looked up at the canopy above. _Grover would love this place._ Percy thought. Just then he heard the slight rustle of leaves. Instantly on guard, Percy took out Riptide.

A short woman with curly hair stepped into his view, chasing a frog of all things. Still, Percy was tense and decided not to take any chances. Riptide stayed pointed in her direction yet she ignored him in favor of catching the frog.

"Put that oversized needle away, boy. I have no intention of angering a god by harming their offspring." She said, still focused on the frog. Percy and the pegasi tensed. They danced on their hooves nervously, suppressing their instinct to fly from the supposed danger.

"What are you talking about?" Percy demanded.

"You made quite the stir when you arrived. They very air seemed to buzz. I just had to find out who you were. Plus I needed to find a frog. HA!" She had finally caught the frog.

"Yeah the sky doesn't like me very much." He said a little less defensively. He wished Annabeth was there to help. She was better with riddles.

"Who are you?" She asked, finally looking him in the eye.

"Names have power." He said to stall.

"Right you are. What can I call you then?" She compromised.

"Percy. What can I call you?" He asked back.

"I'm Angela the herbalist." She gave him a crooked grin. Her brown curls bouncing.

The woman suddenly turned and Percy saw Annabeth had arrived. She had already taken off her cap and her grey eyes looked suspicious. She edged around Angela until she was standing next to Percy.

"Percy?" She asked.

"She thinks I'm god spawn." He said, trying to hint that he wasn't.

"Oh I know you both are. Though not whom your parent is. I regret that their names have been forgotten here. It's been a long time since I've met a demigod." She gave a dazed smile.

"Do you know why those before us were here?" Annabeth asked.

"Sadly no, they were just as distrusting as you two seem to be." Her eyes seemed to sadden at that. "Come, you may stay at my shop for the night. The city will close its gates at sundown and I have some studies to do before then." She said.

The demigods thought it over and decided they might as well. They quickly changed then went to the pegasi.

"You guys stay out of sight. I don't think it'd be a good idea to bring you into the city. If we need a quick getaway then I'll call." Percy told them.

'You got it boss. We'll fly for a bit then settle down somewhere safe. Bring me a snack tomorrow.' Blackjack shook his head.

"Interesting horses you have." Angela commented but didn't say anything else about to subject.

The walk was quiet. The demigods still didn't trust their guide but they had little choice. Annabeth had found them better clothes to blend in. She wore a plain tan peasant dress that reached her ankles and had long sleeves. Percy was wearing a white shirt with brown pants. Add the brown boots and he was starting to feel like a pirate.

The guards didn't question them but simply rolled their eyes at Angela. Apparently they were used to her coming and going with strangers. The walk through the city was… informational. It was built ready for war. They houses closest to the wall were the shortest, gaining height the closer to the citadel you got. The rooves had slate shingles and there were beggars in the poorer district. Both Annabeth and Percy felt wary in such a foreign and fortified place.

Angela's shop had a little porch with a single chair on it. On the chair sat and unnaturally large cat with glowing red eyes. It seemed the two demigods could never relax here. The Cat looked at them curiously before shaking his head.

"This is Solembum. He says you are blocking him from speaking to you. You need to relax." Angela said.

"I don't think I want to." Percy said, eyeing Solembum with suspicion. Annabeth just rolled her eyes before taking a steady breath and letting herself relax.

'Hello godling. Your friend is annoying me.' The cat spoke in her head. Percy was edging around the cat and glaring at it.

'What are you?' She spoke in her head.

'A werecat. What else could I be?' He said as he flicked his tail in annoyance.

'I see, nice meeting you.' She said. She closed her mind back up. Not knowing how she knew how to do that.

"He spoke in my mind." She told Percy.

"No thanks. I've got enough animals talking in my head. I don't need a scary cat doing it too." Percy said.

"Well then. As payment for the night's stay you two will help me clean my shop. I'm afraid it gets a little out of control whenever I start a new project." For example she held up the frog she had found.

"Anything is better than flesh-eating horse stables." Percy grumbled.

They walked in and were greeted with clutter and dark plants that had covered the windows. They looked around at all the mortars, pestles, and metal bowls. There was even a colorful bird in one corner.

"I take that back. This reminds me of Rainbow Organic Foods and Lifestyles. This is going to be a long day."

"Cheer up. You get to spend all day with Felyx." Angela laughed as she gestured to the cranky looking bird. "Oh his cage needs to be cleaned as well."

"I went from bloodthirsty horses to a bloodthirsty bird." Percy said after snatching his hand back when the bird tried to bite him.


	4. Dragon Hunting

No one left the house for a while after their trip to the citadel. But eventually the boy left. Percy had to do double the work for her to leave but it needed to be done. Something told her this boy was important and her instincts are very rarely wrong. So Annabeth donned her Yankee's cap and followed him again. He had obviously never been in a city before. He moved against the crowd. He seemed excited. He was rushing to the city gates. Outside he paused for a moment before taking a sure path. It led him to a cliff surrounded by maple trees. Annabeth hid, despite being invisible. Her reason being the great blue dragon peeking out to watch the boy. He struggled to reach her, taking the only way up that dead ends. The dragon left and the boy actually yelled at it.

"Saphira! Saphira come back!" He yelled and come back she did.

While dragons are easier to kill than drakon's Annabeth still didn't like her chances against both boy and dragon. The dragon returned for the boy before carrying him the rest of the way up. Annabeth took that as her que to leave. That dragon held a presence similar to the magic that brought them here. She was sure of it. She decided she would ask Angela if she and Percy could work for her for a few more days. That way she would be close for when she decided on how to approach this situation.

And Angela acquiesced to her request. The two demigods plotted and planned for the next few days earning their keep and a bit of money for supplies. Angela even told them that she read the boy's, Eragon's, future while Percy and Annabeth were out on an errand for her. While she wouldn't tell them what his future entailed her did say it would be interesting. She said he would be worth keeping an eye on. She informed her guests of the danger Eragon and his dragon were in. She guessed that Brom would take them to the rebel base in the Beor Mountains once they left here. Apparently there was going to be a war if the tyrant had his way. Sadly the two strangers left suddenly. One morning the demigods were just waking up and they heard the strangers saying goodbye to Joed. Angela said it was time for them to go but it took a while to get them on the road. The strangers were already out of sight as they were on horseback and the demigods on foot. They made it to the cliff side the dragon had used but found it abandoned. Percy whistled for the Pegasus and they were there mere moments later.

'Yo boss. Did you know there has been a dragon hunting us?' Blackjack complained.

"I knew there was one here but I didn't know it would be interested in you guys." Percy said as he got on his friends back. Annabeth was wearing a modified dress that she and Angela worked on. It was a green dress that had a slit on both side to allow for better mobility and grey leggings underneath it to be modest enough for the times.

"We want to follow the dragon, Blackjack." Annabeth said as she pet Jewel's neck. Pegasus rarely carried more than one person in their lifetime, preferring a lifelong partner, but Jewel was very kind in carrying Annabeth with no protest.

Both Pegasus stated that the demigods had gone crazy and there was no way they were going to chase a dragon. That is, until they learned that this dragon may be key to their way back home. They grudgingly agreed but stated the dragon wasn't like Peleus. This one actively hunts. And does not protect demigods. Once they were in the air it was easy to believe they were just one a normal quest, if such a thing existed.

They traveled for a few days, always one step behind the dragon. The group was getting frustrated with their lack of progress until one day they flew over something strange. Like a diamond it sparkled in the sun on top of a cliff. They landed to see that it was a grave. The grave of one of the men they were looking for.

"This is bad, Annabeth." Percy stated as he starred at the inscribed words.

"Yes it is. There is blood on his body, he did not die naturally. This magic on his tomb is so similar to what brought us here that it had to be done by the dragon. Seems it is sentient enough to grieve the dead." She said staring at the body.

The Pegasus both touched their noses to the diamond surface. Snorting at the strange feeling that came off of it. They now knew they were not the only ones hunting the dragon. Their mission just got that more dangerous.

They quickly set out. Their pace was much more hurried than before. Now that their quarry was being threatened they needed to find it before someone else did. They traveled faster then, always on the lookout for signs of a giant lizard but none appeared. Little did the demigods know, they traveled right passed the dragon rider's party while he was rescuing an elf. The demigods kept going though. Always pushing until they came across a desert.

"I hate deserts." Percy grumbled.

"I know but this is the most likely route they'd take. Angela said Brom was a part of the Varden and the Varden is in the Beor Mountains. We need to get there before they do otherwise we'll never find the entrance." Annabeth reasoned.

"I know but there's no water in the desert. When there's no water it makes me feel lost." He said as he stroked Blackjack's neck, the Pegasus agreed with his war friend.

"We survived on fire water once, we can make it in the desert. Besides, with you we can find the hidden wells." Annabeth crossed her arms, she understood Percy's distaste for the dry climate but this was their quickest choice.

"Fine but we just fly straight through, do you still have the map Angela gave us? I wanna see how long I have to suffer."

The map Angela gave them was old but still accurate. If they cut across the southern corner of the desert then they would reach the mountains quicker than if they went around it. Even Percy could see the logic in it. If Jason were here he would berate him for wasting time. Finally the Son of Poseidon relented and mounted Blackjack. Annabeth collected the map into her backpack and followed suit. The desert air was different than what the Pegasus were used to. Because of this they did not want to fly too high in case they made a mistake. The days in the desert wore on the four from Earth. The Pegasus barely spoke, preferring to conserve their energy. Percy was able to find the wells like they were beacons in the night, but they were few and far. By the time they made it out of the desert Annabeth questioned if it was truly worth it.

The Beor Mountains were bigger than anything they had ever seen. The Pegasus couldn't reach the peaks because of the thinning oxygen but they flew through the valleys until they found a large lake. They stopped by the lake after following a river to it. There was a water fall and surrounded by the mountain face on all sides but the way they came.

"We can camp here for a few nights. The mountains will give us cover and the only entrance is the way we came." Annabeth said. They had the water for protection as well. The water here did not seem to even have a river god to govern it, therefore it seemed to enjoy Percy's presence as much as he enjoyed being near water again. Annabeth had set traps in hope of a hot meal. They had been living off rations and the occasional rodent since they left Teirm. They quickly found that Percy possessed none of the traits of a successful hunter.

Percy was exploring the lake under the waterfall when he came across a curious fish. The fish told him of people disappearing behind the waterfall. People would come and start talking to the rocks and then would not come out. Percy thanked the fish then left to tell Annabeth.

The demigod son of Poseidon emerged from to water as naturally as one would expect apart from being completely dry. His black, windswept hair flying in the slight breeze. He spotted the Pegasus couple grazing in the trees about ten yards up the mountain. Annabeth was nowhere to be seen though. Percy was instantly on alert. She had mentioned checking the traps but he did not know where she had placed them. He stood with only his feet in the water on the rocky shore. He listened and looked for any sign of her. Suddenly Jewel startled and came closer to the water, Blackjack not far behind her.

'There is something big in the woods.' Jewel snorted. The whites of her eyes were wide and exposed in her fright.

"Looks like we aren't as safe as we thought."

'Careful boss, it smells like your pet.' Blackjack refered to Mrs. O'Leary.

"Great." He mumbled under his breath. Unsheathing Riptide he told the Pegasus to take to the sky's. They did as he asked and flew overhead.

Percy crept closer to where the Pegasus were formally grazing. His senses were in overdrive. Every sight and sound seemed to be in high definition. He heard something change. Like fur shifting. He had heard it plenty of times playing with his pet hellhound. Stiffening, Percy looked for the source of the sound. The woods were silent apart from the noise of the waterfall. Riptide glowed in the shade of the trees. Suddenly a grey blur the size of a minivan came barreling for him. With reflexes honed in battle Percy ducked and swiped at the beast's underside. Rolling out of the strike, Percy used the tree cover in between him and the now injured wolf. It was as large as a hellhound but looked like a grey wolf. No red eyes or hellish aura. An injured wolf is more dangerous than a healthy one and this one was dripping blood from its new sword wound. It snarled as spun to face Percy again, this time eyeing him up and down before leaping at him again. Percy darted to the side and around another tree. The third time it charged it stopped suddenly, sporting a blade between its eyes. Percy spun around to see Annabeth glaring at the dead beast.

"You scared away all the prey. Honestly, I can't leave you alone for five minutes." Annabeth smiled at her boyfriend.

"Well at least we have dinner now." Percy smirked.

"Yes, but don't you think it's odd how big this wolf is?" She asked him.

"I guess." He shrugged. "But these are big mountains. Maybe they have radiation poisoning or something."

"I doubt that. Now help me prepare for dinner." She commanded.

"I didn't realize how much of a mess monsters make when they don't explode into golden dust." Percy stated as he helped Annabeth prepare the salvageable meat.

"Yes well, the wolf isn't a monster. I'm surprised our blades even worked." Annabeth mused.

"I'm glad they did. Wolfie here was trying to make a meal out of the Pegasus."

That night they ate well. They cooked the meat over the fire and the Pegasus were able to relax. They explored the valley and examined it. Annabeth noticed footprints near the cliff side and decided to check it out when there was more daylight. It got dark fast in the shadow on the mountains.

The Pegasus lay down near the fire, enjoying the peace that followed the giant wolf attack. The demigods pondered on whether or not to call camp but decided to wait until they had something substantial to tell them. They were just settling down to sleep when they heard a yell. They sprung up and looked toward the sound.

"Blackjack, you two guard the camp while Annabeth and I check that out." Percy instructed.

'You got it boss.' He snorted.

The half-bloods ran into the wooded area quickly but cautiously. Annabeth had her bone sword at the ready and Percy had Riptide held in defense. They heard the sounds of fighting ahead and hurried. They came upon a group of men fighting. There were many raggedy looking men surrounding three men in fine clothes for the time period. There were a few men dying or dead on the forest floor and the bandits, for that's what they seemed, fell down the mountain side when they were struck down. Percy and Annabeth shared a look before they both entered the fight to help the remaining three men. They slashed and fought their way to the men who were being attacked. The bandits soon realized they had another threat and turned to face it only to gain a bone or celestial bronze sword end them. This was not the first time that Percy and Annabeth had killed but this seemed more permanent. The monsters they normally sent to Hades tend to come back from the dead. These men would stay dead. When they reached the struggling trio they nodded before they took a stand in front of the one who seemed to be the most injured. His right arm was hanging by his side and he held his sword awkwardly with his left hand. Eventually the remaining bandits gave up and ran off.

"Is everyone alright?" Percy called out, slipping into his old role as commander. While it was never made official, Percy was a leader in two wars and the other campers followed his orders because they trusted him.

"My guard is injured but myself and my other guard is fine. What of you two?" The man with the darkest skin the demigods had seen asked.

"We're fine. We are camped nearby, we can examine your companion's wound there." Annabeth said.

"Thank you. My name is Ajihad and these men are Jormundur and Andrei." Andrei was the one with the wounded arm.

"I am Percy and this is my wife Annabeth." Percy said before starting the way back down the mountain to the valley. They had agreed to pretend to be married to explain their relationship.

They walked quickly and carefully to their camp where the Pegasus were pacing. They snapped their attention to the group when they came into view.

'Behind you, Boss.' Blackjack flattened his ears and pawed the ground.

"Easy there, Blackjack. They are friends." Percy soothed his friend before he charged the weary group.

"Come I'll ready some cloths for bandages." Annabeth instructed.

"Those are magnificent war horses you have there." Ajihad said.

"Yeah, best battle companions I could ever ask for." Percy smiled then turned and frowned at the strangers. "What happened back there?"

"We were out on a patrol when those bandits came upon us. And what of you two? You both fight better than most soldiers." He said with suspicion.

"We've been training from a young age. Annabeth started when she was seven and I started when I was about twelve."

"Percy, soak the rags in boiling water for me." Annabeth said as she cut the fabric around Andrei's wound with her bronze knife. She didn't want her seaweed brain to say too much. Ajihad reminded her of a clear sighted mortal

"Thank you for your assistance. I fear we would have been hard pressed to fend them off without your intervention." Jormundur said as he helped Annabeth in cleaning Andrei's wound. It wasn't deep, but would take some time to heal completely.

They ate giant wolf and sat around the fire as total darkness descended. Neither group trusted the other but for different reasons. Ajihad's company did not know why a young couple would be camping out at the entrance of the Varden and Percy's group didn't know why seemingly important people were patrolling the mountain side.

"Thank you for letting us share your camp for the night. We will be on our way in the morning." Ajihad thanked.

"No problem. We plan on staying in this valley for another night." Percy stated.

"Where are you two from? You sound like nobles." Ajihad asked casually.

"My mother is a scholar and Percy's father is a Lord far from here. We were traveling before we got lost and ended up here. Now we just want to find a way home." Annabeth told them.

"I'm sorry. Maybe I can help, or find some other way to repay you for your help." Ajihad stated. His companions stayed silent but were giving him surprised looks.

"I'm afraid unless you are proficient in magic you would be unable as we came here in a bought of strange magic." Annabeth said mournfully, playing the part of a damsel.

"How interesting. I do have a few magicians that work for me, maybe you could speak with them." He pushed.

"What is it that you want from us?" Annabeth asked, fed up with the roundabout way to get them to go with him.

"I'll be frank then, I am the leader of the Varden and I am offering you sanctuary there. There is something different about you two and I'd like to know what." His companions exclaimed their displeasure with him but where silenced with a look.

"Then I will be frank as well. Percy and I cannot join any army as I am a battle strategist and he is a commander for our families' armies." She said, guarded.

"You serve the tyrant king?" Jormundur growled out.

"Not Alagaesia's king. We serve Zeus, Percy's uncle. Like I said, we are far from home." Annabeth said stiffly.

"You are a king's nephew?" Ajihad asked, taking this all in a little too well.

"Illegitimate, I assure you my uncle has no love for me. If it wouldn't start a civil war I'm positive he would have killed me many years ago. My father's favor is the only thing that saves me most days." Percy snorted.

"You do have a talent of pissing off our family. My mother only recently stopped hating you." Annabeth teased.

"But you are technically a prince." Ajihad said with the beginnings of a smile.

"I guess. I've never thought about it before. I would never inherit anything substantial if that's what you're thinking. My uncle has plenty of children and my father has an heir." Percy pondered.

"I will still offer you sanctuary in the Varden's base if you swear you are not under Gallbatorix' influence." Ajihad offered.

"We will think about it tonight and let you know in the morning." Annabeth said before stating she would take first watch. Percy fell asleep quickly, laying by her side.

The next morning the demigods agreed that they would accompany Ajihad as his guests to the Varden. They believed it would be the best way for them to find a dragon, or even the Saphira, who was with Eragon.

"Excellent. Now would you please tell me what exactly your stead are?" Ajihad asked.

"I thought you might be clear sighted." Annabeth sighed.

"What?" Percy asked a little lost.

"He looks at the Pegasus the same way your mom does. Like he is looking at them and not through them." Annabeth told Percy then turned to Ajihad's party. "Blackjack and Jewel are Pegasus, winged horses. Percy rescued Blackjack years ago and they have been companions since then."

"I see. Do they really fly?" He asked. His companions seemed a little overwhelmed but Ajihad just took everything in stride.

"Yes. We flew from Teirm to here upon them. They are very generous for carrying us this far." Annabeth said, knowing that Jewel and Blackjack were getting restless from not being able to do as they wish.

"Amazing." Ajihad said simply before instructing them to follow him into the cave beyond the waterfall. He spoke strange words and the wall opened up, almost seamlessly. There were guards on the other side as well as a bald man.

"Ajihad. We worried for your return." The bald man said.

"Yes, we were set upon by bandits but these two saw fit to come to our aid. Please get Andrei to the healers." Ajihad instructed. The man had done fine throughout the night and infection had not set in.

"Ajihad, we must search their minds before they enter." The bald man said, stepping forward.

"Ajihad that was not part of the deal. Know that our family has spelled our minds to be protected by any force." Annabeth lied quickly. She did not like the look of the bald man and she did not want the knowledge of their world to be exposed this way.

"Annabeth and Percy are my personal guests. They do not need to have their minds searched. Angela told me of their character." That name struck a chord with not only the bald man, but also the demigods.

"You know Angela?" Percy asked.

"Yes. She vouched for you two and warned me that someone matching your descriptions may come to the Varden." Ajihad smirked. No wonder he seemed so nonchalant about everything. Angela must be better connected than either demigod thought.

They walked underground for a while before it opened up again. Both Percy and the Pegasus were not happy. Annabeth didn't like their situation any more than they did though she handled it a little better.

"We will meet with my ally King Hrothgar before you settle down. Your Pegasus will be taken care of in the stables." Ajihad said.

"I'm sorry but they don't like stables. Pegasus are free spirits, coming and going as they please. Plus the open air suits them better." Percy spoke up for his father's subjects.

"I see, well I suppose they will be welcome in the dragonhold. They should be happy up there. I'll have feed brought up for them or do they have a specific diet?" Ajihad asked with amusement in his eye.

"No that's fine." Percy said, blushing a bit, not willing to say he didn't know exactly what was in a Pegasus diet besides apples and donuts.

The Pegasus, who were listening to the conversations, shook out their wings and flew in the direction that Ajihad pointed. Everyone stopped to watch, including Ajihad. A flying horse is definitely something to marvel at. They were much more confidant in the air than they were on the ground.

The architecture of the mountain was intense. Annabeth was just trying to take it all in so she could learn from it while Percy thought the stone flowed like water from pillar to ceiling. They came upon a double staircase and went down the right side. The stone seemed to all flow from the same piece.

"Hrothgar is a stubborn but wise man. He and I have been allies for many years. You two need to show him respect. You may be a prince where you come from but he is a king. Treat him with the respect you show your uncle." Ajihad spoke. Annabeth elbowed Percy in the ribs before he could say something crass about Zeus.

"Of course." She said.

They entered a throne room flanked by stone dwarves. The closest to the door seemed to be the oldest but it was hard to tell by how well cared for they are. The dwarf on the throne had a white beard that reminded Percy of Gandolf from Lord of the Rings.

"Ajihad, old friend. You gave us quite the scare. We feared that you would not return to us." The king smirked.

"I takes more than a couple bandits to take me down. Plus I had the aid of these two warriors. King Hrothgar, I'd like you to meet Percy son of Poseidon and his wife, Annabeth daughter of Athena. Percy is the Prince of a kingdom outside of Alagaesia. They are my guests here in the Varden for their support against my attackers." Ajihad said smoothly.

"Welcome. I must admit I have not heard of anyone coming from outside Alagaesia, Prince Percy." The king greeted.

"Please call me Percy, I am not anywhere near being an heir. There are many in line before me." Percy said, this was worse than being called a lord.

"Well Percy, Annabeth, you two are welcome in my city so long as you do not stir up trouble.

"Thank you sire. Percy and I just need some rest then we wish to find our way home. We have been gone far too long already." Annabeth said with a smile.

"That's an interesting blade you carry Annabeth. May I see it?" Hrothgar asked.

"Of course. It is made from drakon bone. A friend made it for me in a time of great distress." She said as she unstrapped the blade from her waste. She slowly approached the king with the blade held by the flat of the blade on both of her hands. The dwarven king carefully took the blade from her and examined it.

"It was definitely made quickly and is a little crude but it is certainly the most unique blade I have ever seen. You said it was made from dragon bone?" he asked as he handed it back.

"No, drakon bone. Specifically, the Maeonian drakon. They are something like cousins to dragons. He was easily longer than your throne room, though not as tall. They look more like snakes than dragon and very few breath fire though most spit and acid venom. They can turn men to stone by just looking into their eyes." Annabeth finished as she belted her sword back at her side.

"Fascinating. We must speak of these terrifying creatures again sometime but for now you should go settle down. I must attend to my duties." The King dismissed.

"I will see you soon, friend." Ajihad nodded and Hrothgar returned the gesture.

The group walked back the way they had come. Ajihad led them through the tunnels before instructing a messenger boy to show them to the staircase that would take them to the Pegasus. The boy then gave them directions to the mess hall where they could eat before running off.

Percy and Annabeth made their way up the impossibly tall staircase before finally reaching the top. They were met with a blue gem stone set into the floor that had lit up the ground below in a blue haze. They realized the room had many cave ranging in all sizes in it. The Pegasus were resting in one of the smaller ones, munching on the food the Varden had provided. The demigods settled down on the bed in the cave the Pegasus had chosen.

"Well, we made it into the Varden." Annabeth breathed out.

"Now we just have to wait for the dragon to come here. Angela said they would come to the Varden." Percy relaxed as Annabeth leaned into him.

"She must have beaten us here somehow. I wonder where she is hiding now." Annabeth pondered as she traced her thumb over a faint scar on Percy's arm.

"She is definitely strange. She could have just traveled with us." Percy grumbled.

"I'm sure we will get the chance to talk to her soon but for now let's rest before we have to climb those stairs again for dinner." Annabeth laughed as Percy groaned in frustration.


	5. Again We Meet

Percy and Annabeth spent most of their time up in the dragon hold. They went down for their meals and occasionally spoke with Ajihad when he had the time. The Pegasus spent their time soaring in the mountain, finally safe. Ajihad assured the demigods that the people would not attempt to shoot down the Pegasus. They had contacted camp to let them know of their progress. Chiron said they were no closer to finding out what happened than before. Thankfully time seemed to be going by at normal speed. They had worried that there are a different time line here but they now assumed the portal took three days for them to travel through. Chiron informed them that the fates were being very tight lipped about all of this.

'Hey boss.' Blackjack greeted as he landed on the blue gem floor, Jewel right behind him.

"What's up Blackjack?" Percy smiled back at the Pegasus.

'The little people are in even more of a hurry today. Something is happening.' He reported like a soldier.

"Really? Maybe we should go down early today."

"What's going on Percy?" Annabeth asked, frustrated he had not translated yet.

"Blackjack said something is going on in the city. Could you carry us down there Blackjack?"

'Sure, Jewel is gonna rest up though. She doesn't like the paparazzi.' Blackjack said, referring to the way people would crowd the Pegasus every time they landed on the ground.

"Thanks Blackjack." Percy said before swinging up. Annabeth grabbed her sword before doing the same. She was wearing a dress that she and Angela made after they found out that she was staying in one of the empty rooms in the tower. This dress was red with the same slits on either side as well as the same grey leggings. She kept her hair braided to keep it out of the way most days now.

They flew down swiftly and dismounted quickly. Blackjack took off almost immediately to avoid the crowds. The demigods made their way to where they knew Ajihad would be. His guards were tense outside of his counsel room. They asked if they could see him but they told them they would have to wait. Percy sat down against the wall as the waited while Annabeth paced. People were rushing around the halls but wouldn't stop to tell the demigods what was going on. Finally the guards let them in just before dinner time. Ajihad looked tired but at least he was alone. The twins creeped the demigods out.

"Hello you two." Ajihad smiled though his exhaustion.

"What's going on?" Percy asked.

"A friend of the Varden was brought to us on the verge of death. She was brought here by a dragon rider." Ajihad said, letting that sink in.

"A dragon rider? Where are they?" Annabeth asked.

"In one of the chambers you passed through when you entered. One of their companions refused to let his mental shields down and so they were not allowed access."

"But we were allowed in." Percy said.

"Yes but those were special circumstances. From what you and Angela have told me it would be unwise to enter your minds. Everyone else has to have their minds screened to enter. It helps us keep Gallbatorix spies out."

"What are you going to do?" Annabeth asked.

"Arya is receiving help from the healers while the others are going to spend the night in the chamber they were left in. I plan to meet with them tomorrow. I will decide what to do then."

"Is there anything we can do to help?" Percy offered.

"Eventually yes but for now no. Do I have your support should the rider turn out to be a threat?" Ajihad asked seriously and the demigods hesitated.

"The magic that sent us here feels similar to that of a dragons, as long as we get to speak to them we will support you." Annabeth finally said.

"I'm sure that can be arranged as the dragon and rider would be staying in the dragonhold if they prove to be friends rather than foes." Ajihad's smile was back.

"Thank you." Annabeth said before the left to leave Ajihad to his duties.

"We might finally get answers Percy." Annabeth said as they walked to the dining hall.

"I hope so. I miss our friends." Percy said solemnly.

They ate their meal with a few dwarves that were not afraid of them. The men seemed to avoid the couple. The dwarves all had varying levels of English. Most just spoke their own language and Percy and Annabeth listened even if they could not understand what was said. Percy liked the dwarve's straightforwardness and Annabeth often spoke with them of their cities structure. Once they trusted her they even shared with her their ideas. They barely spoke tonight though. Tensions were high and the dwarves ate quickly before shuffling off to their business. Percy and Annabeth followed their example and made their way back to the dragonhold.

The next morning they decided to stay in the dragonhold until the rider and dragon showed up. They we bound to meet them here. The demigods spent the morning sparring and training with each other. Most of the morning had gone by that way before they heard the loud sound of wings. The Pegasus retreated to their small cave where they hoped the dragon would be unable to eat them should it decide to. The dragon was greater than Annabeth had remembered. It had shining scales the same color as the gem stone floor and they sparkled in the dim light of the mountain. The dragon landed with heavily with its eyes trained on the two demigods. They both stood on edge before Annabeth decided to take a chance. The boy spoke to the dragon all those weeks ago and she could see the intelligence gleaming in the reptile's eyes.

"Hello. I believe I remember your name being Saphira. My name is Annabeth and this is Percy." Annabeth said as she stepped forward.

Little did the demigods know was Saphira remembered them from Eragon's memories. Brom had informed her and Eragon to be wary around them as they were not normal. He said they looked more like nobles than the peasants that they were trying to play. She decided to throw caution to the wind for once and opened her mind enough to speak with the girl. She briefly met an impenetrable wall before the girl allowed the connection. Her mind was strange. It was vaster than any mind she had come into contact with. She could only describe it to being similar to that of Arya's when Eragon first contacted her.

'You are the two-legs who were with the herbalist.' Saphira told the girl.

"Yes, Angela housed us for a time. We have been meaning to speak to you though we were afraid that you would attack as you had tried to hunt our friends." The girl, Annabeth said as she waved at one of the smaller caves. In there Saphira could see two horses with feathered wings attached to their backs. She remembered their scent being on the air near Teirm. Though they were not as beautiful as herself she could definitely see they were close to it.

'I will not eat your winged horses.' Saphira promised after a moment of thought. These two legs smelt different than normal two legs. Not like an elf, but very powerful in their own way.

"Thank you. Blackjack, Jewel, she promised not to hunt you anymore." Annabeth told the horses. To Saphira's surprise the winged horses responded like any intelligent creature would. They came out of their cave, nervous but much more at ease than before.

"Blackjack says hello, and that you are very sparkly." The man, Percy, laughed.

'They are intelligent?' she asked Annabeth.

"Yes, though they are easily distracted." Annabeth teased the feathered horses.

The white one bumped its head into Annabeth's arm but she just laughed and apologized to the strange beast.

'What are you doing here?' Saphira asked.

"We are staying here to be closer to the Pegasus. They don't like the stables. But we were hoping you could tell us why we were sent to Alagaesia. The magic that sent us here reminds us of the way it feels around you." Annabeth explained. Saphira did not know what she was talking about and told the girl as much. Her expression changed drastically. Where it was once friendly and hopeful, now it held great sadness and disappointment.

"What did she says?" the boy asked urgently.

"She was not the one that sent us here. She claims to not know what happened." Annabeth said and the boy wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

'There may be others who can help you.' Saphira said trying to help the duo. They were so sad that it made her feel inadequate that she could not help them. 'The elves may be able to give you some answers as they are experts in magic.'

"Where can we find the elves?" Annabeth asked warily.

'They reside in a secret forest but there is an elf in this city. When she has healed she may speak to you then.'

"Thank you, Saphira."

Just then a dwarf entered from the staircase. He asked if Saphira had chosen a cave to call her own yet. Saphira looked around and chose a good sized cave twenty feet from the gem floor. She laid down at its edge and starred at the dwarf meaningfully. He seemed to get the message before yelling in dwarvish and a group of dwarves came out after him and they all managed to get a cushion large enough for Saphira settled into it. They let raw meat for her as well as show her where she could find water up here.

The two-legs left her alone to her explorations of the dragonhold and the winged horses took flight into the mountain. It amazed her how graceful they looked in the air. Saphira had always viewed the beasts as silly animals but these two seemed almost as graceful as herself once air bound. She wanted to know more about them and their supposed intelligence. The she dragon settled at the open air entrance to the dragonhold to watch the strange creatures. Her neck extended to give her a better view.

She was not foolish enough to ignore the two legs though. She kept an ear on their movements as they conversed. They had switched to a different language, one that would occasionally remind Saphira of the Ancient Language. The words they spoke held power, though it was not magic. Her curiosity was interrupted when Eragon, her partner of heart and soul, called to her with a thought. Her poor rider had no wings of his own to fly so she went down to pick him up. Her movements startled the two legs but they just waved as she left the hold. As soon as she landed people swarmed her and her rider. One lady was insistent on receiving a blessing, both rider and dragon acquiesced then went on their way. After landing on the gem stone floor Eragon saw fit to lay on the ground and study it. The other two legs where giving her rider strange looks so she decided it was time to let him know they had neighbors.

"OH! I'm sorry, I didn't know anyone else would be up here." Eragon apologized after shooting them an embarrassed look. He ruffled his hair nervously as he stood back up.

"That's alright. My name is Annabeth and this is my husband, Percy. We met briefly in Teirm. I apologize for following you across the country but we needed to speak with Saphira." The pretty human blond introduced herself. Percy was trying to hold back a laugh at her rider's fascination in the ground.

"I remember. What did you want to speak with Saphira about?" Eragon asked, his worry for his partner of heart palpable through their bond.

"We had hoped she could answer our questions but sadly she could not. She was helpful enough to direct us to someone who can though." Annabeth said with a sad smile.

"Ah. Why are you staying in the dragonhold?"

"Ask Saphira, we have to get down to eat something and these stairs take forever." Percy said as he walked towards the exit. Annabeth mumbled about boys and their stomachs but followed behind him.


	6. Chapter 6

'Felyx misses you.' Solembum teased Percy from his spot on Saphira. Annabeth translated for him.

"I'm sure he will find a new pincushion. Where has Angela been hiding?" Percy scowled.

"He says she escaped the crowds into more private rooms." Annabeth told him.

"Never expect a straight answer from gods or cats with god complexes." Percy muttered under his breath for all to hear. He got up and whistled for Blackjack. The Pegasus was often training with Percy in aerial maneuvers to help them prepare for fighting in the sky. They fought well together but that didn't mean they couldn't improve. The people of the Varden were used to seeing the two horses flying above the city now that they had a dragon to stare at but Percy and his equine friend made sure to fly well above bow range. After a while Percy heard Annabeth calling his name. They landed in the center of the room and Percy noticed the dwarf waiting for him.

"King Hrothgar would like to speak with you now. He recommends flying down to make more time." The dwarf spoke before disappearing back down the stairs.

"Well let's not leave the resident monarch waiting." Percy smiled as he held his hand out to Annabeth. She rolled her eyes but took his hand.

Blackjack flew them right to the entrance of the tunnel that led to Hrothgar's throne room. The demigods said goodbye to the Pegasus and started their way down. Sadly the dwarven kingdom reminded the couple of Tartarus, otherwise the city might have impressed them more. The dwarves at the doors announced them and let them through. This time there was a meeting space laid out for them near the doors with chair and a table. At the head of the table sat the king and a younger dwarf sat to his right. Guards stood around the table to protect their king.

"Welcome Percy and Annabeth. Thank you for your haste in meeting with me and my nephew, Orik. I admit to bragging about the unique blade you sport and he wished to see it himself." The king welcomed them.

"Of course. I am glad to have brought it then." Annabeth smiled and rested her hand on the pommel of said blade before she took a seat.

"I wish to hear more of your kingdom and what your role in it is." Hrothgar stated once they were all seated.

"I see. Do you believe in gods, your majesty?" Annabeth asked. Percy shot her a confused look but did not interrupt her.

"Of course, we dwarves worship our own gods." He answered carefully.

"Where we come from there are many gods, twelve of whom make up the Olympian Counsel. They are referred to as the major gods. They reside on their godly home, Mount Olympus. Every once in a while the gods come down and fall in love with mortals. The children from those relationships are known as demigods, or half-bloods. They inherit some of their godly parent's powers. Percy and I are half-bloods."

"Who are your parents?" Hrothgar asked. While he did not believe them he did not outright disbelieve them either.

"My mother is Athena, goddess of wisdom and battle strategy."

"My father is Poseidon, god of the seas, horse lord, and earth shaker. He is one of the Big Three." Percy spoke up with pride for his father.

"Earth shaker?" Orik asked.

"Yeah, I don't use that power very often. Once I accidently set off a volcano." Percy scratched his head in embarrassment.

"I implore you not to do that here as we are residing on a dormant volcano." Hrothgar said. "Other than that can you prove your claims?"

"Sure, do you have any water?" Percy asked.

The king waved to a guard who brought a canteen of water over. Percy made it float out and change into the shape of a horse. He made the horse dance before returning it to the canteen. The dwarves in the room eyed him warily.

"And it isn't magic." The king asked.

"Not the kind you're thinking of." Percy shrugged.

"I see. And you my dear. What did your mother pass onto you?" He asked Annabeth.

"I specialize in architecture and battle strategies. I'm the brains and Percy's the brawns of our relationship." She smiled at her seaweed brain.

"Women fight where you come from?" Orik asked.

"Yes. I beat Percy in hand to hand combat in most of our spars." She bristled.

"That's because you won't let me use my water powers when we spar." Percy grumbled.

"Hah my nephew meant no offence. It is just uncommon for human woman to fight her, though I suppose you are not one hundred percent human." Hrothgar laughed at their banter.

"No I suppose we aren't. One thing you should know is Percy and I are not immortal like our godly parent. In fact, many half-bloods die before they reach adulthood as it is our job to protect mortals from the monsters of the god's world. Monsters say that the more powerful the parent the more strong the child's scent. We are hunted from the moment we are born whether we know of our heritage or not." Annabeth said.

"Yet you two are still alive." Hrothgar pointed out.

"We have been very lucky, as well as great support from the other demigods." Percy said mournfully. "We have lost many friends and family member."

"My condolences. I must ask if you will fight against Galbatorix while you two are still in the Varden."

"The Varden and the dwarves have been kind to us. We have no problem opposing your enemies. We will fight on our own terms though. We have been generals for a long time and no longer have the mindset of a foot soldier." Annabeth said before Percy could blindly devote himself to them.

"Of course. Ajihad told me you are a prince where you come from. Is that true?"

"I guess. Like I told Ajihad, I never thought about it that way. My father has an heir with his godly wife as well as many other children, including monsters. He fathered horses from sea foam and created the first Pegasus, the winged horse. Technically Blackjack, my Pegasus, is my nephew, but I don't like thinking about my complicated family ties." Percy babbled. He was fiddling with Riptide, showing his attention was waning.

"What's that?" Orik asked.

"Hm? Oh, this is Riptide, Anaklusmos. It's the sword my father gifted me when I learned I was a half-blood." Percy uncapped the pen and let it transform into its true form. This made Hrothgar's eyes widen and his guards stiffen. He waved them off and asked to see the blade. He examined the blade with a careful eye before looking back to Percy.

"This is a marvelous blade but what is the metal? I have not seen bronze like this before." He asked as he handed it to Orik.

"Celestial Bronze. It was mined by Cyclopes', from Mount Etna and cooled in the river Lethe." Annabeth explained. "In our kingdom it does not harm mortal's, only gods, monsters, and half-bloods, as well as other Greek or Roman creatures."

"Fascinating. But I assume you found out it affects Alagaesians" Hrothgar mussed.

"Yes, when we assisted Ajihad." Annabeth explained.

"Well this has been informational but I must return to my duties as king." Hrothgar dismissed.

They said their goodbyes and departed. The demigods were just exiting the tunnel into the main part of the city when Orik caught up with them.

"Is all that you said true?" He asked.

"Yeah." Percy shrugged before whistling sharply.

"All of it. You've seen your gods?" he sounded hopeful.

"Yes, though only a handful of times." Annabeth smiled at his wonder.

"The elves will be shaken to the core by you two." Orik laughed then explained. "They believe that we created our gods out of ignorance."

"Don't forget your gods. The worst thing for a god is to be forgotten. They may not die but I've seen a god fade. It is the saddest sight." Percy advised as Blackjack landed with Jewel. The demigods mounted as Orik promised to never forget his gods.


	7. The Battle

Percy and Annabeth had another peaceful day in the mountain as Eragon was tested. They joined him in the training arena but stayed by Orik's side the whole time. When he took off after the elf they decided to train with the equipment the Varden soldiers used. After a while they began to attract attention, specifically Annabeth so they left to the dragonhold for the night.

They woke up to a dwarf running to Eragon and Saphira's cave. He climbed up the ladder and started shouting for Argetlam to wake up. The demigods, having been in enough war time, sensed the danger and began to dress for battle. By the time they were ready so was Eragon. He was dressed and Saphira waited patiently for him to climb onto her back.

"What's going on?" Percy asked.

"I don't know but Ajihad has summoned me." Eragon said, holding back a yawn as Saphira took off.

The demigods shared a look before starting down the stair case. It must be serious for Ajihad to summon Eragon in the middle of the night. By the time they reached the meeting place people where already leaving. A girl with angled features and dark hair eyed them warily but continued on her way. They entered after everyone was clear.

"What's going on, Ajihad?" Percy asked.

"Percy, Annabeth, I fear I may need your help once again. Urgals have been spotted in the lower tunnels. They mean to attack us." Ajihad said, pouring over the plans laid out on the desk.

"Are these your battle plans?" Annabeth asked.

"Yes. We mean to force them to focused tunnels." Ajihad said more to himself than to them.

"It's a good plan. We should add more boiling tar. If what I know about urgals is true then they have thick hides. They remind me a bit of Cyclopes'." Annabeth said as she leaned over the table.

"I'll send a runner." Ajihad said.

"Where do you want us? I can fly over the battle with Blackjack when it all starts but where do you need us now?" Percy asked.

"Help where you can. We need to get the women and children out of here quickly. Could you two go through the towns and hurry them alone. Make sure everyone has food and water. The people have prepared for this but they have never evacuated the mountain before." Ajihad asked.

"Of course. We'll get them out as quick as possible." Annabeth promised.

"And you Annabeth? Will you be joining the other women?"

"No, my place is on the battle field fighting alongside Percy." She said sternly.

"I see. Know that I am not happy about it but I have seen you fight, stay safe." He dismissed.

The people moved begrudgingly from their homes. These were hard women, toughened by their life here. They did not appreciate being evacuated but the children needed to leave for their own safety. Eventually everyone was where they needed to be. Percy and Annabeth reported to Nasuada one last time before going off to prepare for battle. They prepared up in the dragonhold, away from all the noise. The mood was very solemn. The two demigods had borrowed a little armor from the dwarves. They each had a chest piece and arm and shin bracers unlike the Alagaesian's who wore full chain mail.

"This wasn't supposed to happen." Annabeth snapped as she finished strapping her dagger in place at her side. Percy, who had been giving Blackjack a brush down, turned to his girlfriend.

"I know. Nothing is going to our plan, but a child of Athena always has a plan." He smiled as he gave her a quick hug.

"Of course I have a plan, it's just not the way things should be. We have fought for the gods, they were giving us a break, and then this happens. At least Iris has some sway here." She sighed into his hug before bracing herself and pushing away with a grateful smile.

"Will you ride with me to battle or did you ask Jewel if she would take you?" Percy asked.

The white and grey Pegasus was currently flying around the city, keeping an eye on the Varden. She had not been in New York for either of the wars therefore had not carried a demigod into battle for them.

"I don't know how she would take it. She has been a great companion but I don't want to endanger her." Annabeth said as she watched Jewel fly.

"It's up to her." Percy said as Blackjack head butted him in the shoulder. The dark Pegasus had complete faith in his girlfriend's abilities. Jewel came back when Annabeth called for her. She landed with her usual grace and stretched out her wings. She reported that the fighting hadn't started yet but the humans were getting antsy.

"Thank you. Annabeth has a something she wants to ask you." Percy prompted.

"Would you carry me into battle today? It will be dangerous and you may get hurt. Do not feel obligated to say yes if you do not wish to."

Jewel shook her mane with a whinny before pressing her snout into Annabeth's hand.

'Silly god spawn. Tell her I've grown quite fond of her and that I will carry her to ensure that she comes out victorious.' She told Percy who said the message out loud.

"Thank you Jewel." She said with a smile.

After that they settled down to wait. They sat at the edge of the entrance and watched the Varden finish up preparing. Saphira was easily spotted where ever she went especially because of her vibrant color. She too settled down when the work was done. The four of them ate a meal then stretched. Annabeth said it was important and Percy didn't argue with her, he had been sore for days from plenty of battles. They took turns sleeping, someone always watching the Varden below them. Blackjack was on watch when the urgals finally come through the tunnels. By the time he got the rest of them awake the pitch had already been poured and their screams filled the air. It wasn't long before the demigods were mounted and waited for the arrows to stop flying as frequently. Once the urgals burst through the first two lines of defense they started their flight down. They joined in the battle cry. Percy and Blackjack matched perfectly. Angela had given the demigods new clothes as a gift for surviving she had said with a smirk. Percy wore all black except for his shiny breast plate. Annabeth was in silvery grey riding clothes beneath her breast plate, matching Jewel's coloring. The image was stunning as they flew down to aid the Varden. Riptide was already in sword form and they both held their swords at the ready. They flew into the enemy ranks and picked off as many archers as they could before the urgals found their patterns and defended against it. They dismounted near Ajihad's section. The Pegasus flew off at the word of the demigods, they were to keep watch of the battle and warn Percy if need be. They saw Saphira and Eragon flying back and forth into the urgal lines. Soon they were too consumed in the fight to notice much else. Percy and Annabeth fought more synchronized than they ever have before. They moved fluidly together. The urgals didn't stand a chance against them. They fought their way to Ajihad's side. They man was not to be trifled with. He was a warrior to be sure. He nodded to them when he noticed how close they were.

While the demigods have never fought better together there was just no end to the urgals. Where one was slain two more took its place. Their blood soaked the hard earth and their bodies made it difficult to navigate. Percy took a club to the arm when he wasn't focused causing him to yell out in pain and frustration. Annabeth got a nasty cut to her leg by one of the urgal's rudimentary blades. Percy's anger boiled over at her pained cry. Both fought to protect the other. They renewed their efforts. The urgals started to take a step back when Percy unconsciously summoned a hurricane. The hurricane swirled around him, protecting him from all attacks. Annabeth slipped her Yankee's cap on and fought undetected. She helped the men that were struggling the most. People stopped to stare at Percy before going back to their own fights. It seemed never ending until they heard an earsplitting noise, like shattering glass before an unearthly screech filled the air. The urgals stopped and blinked for a moment before turning tail and running. The Varden had defended their home but Annabeth was more concerned with the noise. She took her cap off and whistled. Jewel was quick to respond. Together they flew to the base of the dragonhold. There the gem stone lay in pieces. Saphira had Arya on her back and nosed and unconscious Eragon before keening lowly. Arya leapt from her back and grabbed the bleeding Eragon, placing him on Saphira's back.

"Saphira?" Annabeth left the question open ended.

'Eragon is hurt badly,' was all she said before taking off. Jewel flew next to the dragoness, her flank stained red by Annabeth's blood.

They arrived at the healer's station. They immediately set to healing the dragon rider. Arya moved to heal Saphira's injuries. The dragon had a single minded focus on her rider though. Her eyes never strayed from the place that they worked on him. Angela showed up and took over. Saphira seemed more relaxed at that. She turned to look when Percy arrived on Blackjack. He dismounted and rushed to Annabeth with a square of ambrosia. She broke it in half and gave him the other. She had not dismounted for fear of her leg giving out. They both ate their share and relished in the feeling of home it brought. They heard a gasp and turned to see Arya staring intently at Annabeth's healing leg and Percy's arm.

"What magic was that?" She asked.

"That was ambrosia, it heals the children of the gods." Annabeth said, no longer caring for secrecy. Arya's face soured before she stumbled and was ordered to rest.

"It burns mortals up. I'm afraid even the smallest amount will kill him." Annabeth said firmly. Arya seemed angry but moved to a bed in the infirmary. Saphira eyed the demigods for a long moment before speaking to Annabeth.

'Do you really think it would hurt Eragon?'

"Yes, it will even kill us in larger doses. We are only able to take some because of our parentage. I'm sorry Saphira." Annabeth said.

Saphira keened lowly and flexed her back. Annabeth imagined she was feeling what was happening to her rider.

"Eragon is strong. He will be okay." Percy said with conviction. Saphira turned to the male and brushed his good arm with her snout in thanks.


End file.
